The Swiss CO₂-Calculator Film & Media determines the CO₂ emissions generated directly or indirectly by a service or during the production of an audiovisual work. This can be used to derive concrete measures for reducing the carbon footprint.
Carbon calculator for Swiss productions
The Swiss CO₂ Calculator Film & Media is available to anyone who is interested. Anyone who would like to try out the calculator can register for a demo version that is valid for a limited period. Film productions can register for unlimited use in order to record the carbon footprint of their projects and create balance sheets.
This website and the funding institutions provide the tool, but cannot offer any specialist advice.
Background: As part of a pilot project launched in 2019, Swiss Radio and Television SRF, in collaboration with the myclimate foundation, developed a CO₂ calculator for film and TV productions to calculate the carbon footprint of the Swiss crime series Tatort.
The declared aim of these efforts is to be able to uniformly record the carbon footprint of the entire Swiss cultural sector as soon as possible, following on from that of the film industry.
International carbon calculators
Germany
With media and film company MFG Baden-Württemberg’s comprehensive carbon calculator for film and TV productions, the carbon footprint of a production can be calculated in just a few steps. A sample with test data gives you an idea of the kinds of activities that can be recorded in the carbon calculator. The calculator and the test data are free to use but do not feature all the functions. After creating a (free) login, you can use the full features of the calculator.
Austria
With the Lower Austrian Film Commission (LAFC)’s carbon calculator, you can work out the ecological footprint of each individual department of a film and TV production based on factors specific to Austria. The carbon calculator was originally developed by the Baden-Württemberg-based media company MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft, and was subsequently adapted for the LAFC. A freely accessible sample with test data gives you an indication of the kinds of activities that can be recorded in the calculator. You can access all of the carbon calculator’s features once you’ve created a (free) login.
France
EcoProd is a joint initiative of public and private organisations, including the Ile-de-France Film Commission. The French carbon calculator developed by EcoProd, known as Carbon’Clap, is specially designed for audiovisual productions. The calculator is intended to be quick and easy to use, and therefore partly draws on estimates. Carbon’Clap is free to use after creating a login.
UK
The British carbon calculator, known as albert, was developed by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 2010 and subsequently used in a large number of BBC productions. In 2011, the calculator was adopted by the newly formed albert consortium, a group of broadcasters and independent production companies led by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). With its calculator, the albert consortium wants to help reduce carbon emissions starting from the production phase, and raise awareness of the environmental impact of film and TV production.
In the albert production tools, numerous case studies and explanatory videos show in detail how to use the carbon calculator. The albert consortium also has a Quick Start Guide for the calculator.
European Union
Eureca (European Environmental Calculator) is a user-friendly, multi-country environmental calculator that can be used to record the environmental impact of film productions. For a small fee, the calculator can be used for all types of audiovisual productions across Europe, helping to make production processes more sustainable.
Eureca is a pilot project that emerged from Interreg Europe’s Green Screen project, which is financed by the European Regional Development Fund.
